The world is a complex place, with different communities of people speaking different languages. The developing countries are haunted with the problem of illiteracy till date. Even the countries, which has a good literacy rate does not guarantee literacy in English. So, how will a literate person with for example knowledge in Spanish read the English works? In such case, translation becomes necessary. It breaks the barriers between two cultures and helps to understand each other through the linguistic medium. Though English is spoken in most countries of the world, but it is to be remembered that these are the countries which the British had once colonized. There are still places in Africa, India, France, Spain, even Mexico and Brazil where people cannot read or understand English. In such cases, translation becomes necessary.
Why is Translation Necessary?
- The first and foremost reason that can be cited is that translation helps in understanding a different culture, a different part of the world. Inter-cultural dialogues are often necessary in certain aspects of life and the work space.
- If a person visits a different country, where English is not in vogue, then surviving there becomes difficult.
Translation concept basically acts as a passport to know the ‘other’. But, simultaneously it is true that in the process of translation a lot of things lose its original meaning. Therefore, it is not necessary to translate each and every word, but to translate the meaning. Professional help is a must for proper translation.
To understand the basics of translation, let us take up a case study; the translation from English to Spanish.
From English to Spanish: Understanding the Basics
Spanish is the third most widely spoken language in the world. People mainly from South and Central America speak the language. Which area speaks what language is basically determined by which country colonized it and the number of its immigrants. While translating an English sentence into Spanish, it must be remembered not to translate each and every word literally into Spanish. Translating a sentence in Spanish requires the restructuring of the English sentence. For example, if a sentence is in the passive voice in English, then it must be put in the active voice in Spanish.
If a document or book in English needs to be translated to Spanish, going for a professional translator is advisable. Relying on the online tools is not really worthy and it is also better to chose a person to translate who comes from a Spanish background and has a good and sound knowledge of English.
Both Spanish and English belong to different language groups; moreover, the grammar, word style, pronunciation all are very different. So, one needs to be very careful while undergoing any kind of translation process.
Translation is not a new idea. It has been there since medieval times. The Bible was written in Hebrew. But, now we get copy of it in English, which means that it was translated. So, this is the main advantage of translation. Have not it been translated in English, general people like us would not have got the opportunity to read and understand it in Hebrew. Therefore, translation is always necessary for the future, for the world to know each other and work with each other.
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